Peter Cunningham

“ What day in April shall we choose for our exhibition of gratitude and admiration to this great benefactor of mankind—to the great poet who has given, and will long continue to give, employment and bread to printers, stationers, binders, and publishers, to actors and to scene-painters? To take no higher view than is implied in this mercantile estimate of the great poet’s value, even in this lowest sense think what a true benefactor to the world has this man, William Shakespeare, been. ”

“ SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHDAY AND NAME.
First in point of time, the Stage, and then the Printing Press, have made familiar to mankind the illustrious name of William Shakespeare. He (“the divine William,” as actors affect to call him) has stood long prior to the Hanoverian succession—long prior to the fall of the House of Stuart—anterior to the Revolution—anterior to the Restoration—anterior to the Protectorate—the Great Genius of our Land, unapproached, and apparently unapproachable. ”

“ Malone, with many men of talent to back him, it is “William Shakspeare;” rather, quoth Mr. Disraeli, Mr. Collier, and Mr. Dyce, “William Shakespeare.” Nay, but stop, say both Sir Frederick Madden and Mr. Charles Knight, after all it is surely “William Shakspere.”
The controversy, like that of the Big-Endians and Little-Endians in Swift, is matter of little moment, and may be shut up in an egg-shell. My only wonder is that the Christian name, “William,” has been left alone, and that the consonants comprising the great man’s name have not been called in question with the vowels. ”